The Problem of Defining the Family

Family
a group of people who
share a legal bond or a
blood bond.
Legal Bonds: Families are legally
bound through marriages,
adoptions, and guardianships,
including the rights, duties, and
obligations of those legal
contracts. Legal bonds can be
changed, expanded, or dissolved
to change the composition of a
family.
Blood Bonds: Individuals who are
directly related through a common
ancestor are part of a family. This
includes both close and distant
relatives such as siblings, parents,
grandparents, aunts, uncles,
nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Researching a family tree or
genealogical records can reveal
familial blood bonds.
Today, however, many experts study the family
raise doubts about its future. Consider the
following statistics:
Declining marriage rate and increasing
rate of cohabitation
Increase annulment rate
Increasing number of cases of domestic
violence.
Increasing number of women entering
labor force.
Types of Families
Nuclear Family

It includes the parents and

their children living in the same
residence or sharing the
closest bonds.
Also called a conjugal family.
Extended Family

This type of family includes all

relatives in close proximity, such as
grandparents, aunts, uncles, and
cousins.
Also called a joint family or
multigenerational family depending
on which members are included.
Complex Family
A type of extended family that has
three or more adults plus their children.
This type of family may be formed
through divorce and remarriage, or it
may be formed through polygamy in
societies where that practice is
acceptable.
Single Parent Family

This family type includes one

parent and their children only.
A single parent family could be
the result of a divorce, the death
of one parent, or even a single
parent adoption.
Step Family
This is a family where the adults have
divorced and remarried, bringing children
from other unions together to form a new
nuclear family. The children may come from
several different parents or be on one or
both sides of the new union.
Step families are also referred to as blended
families because they are a blend of two or
more different families.
Traditional Family
This is a family unit defined in the
classic sense as the father working
outside the home to support the
members financially, while the
mother remains at home and tends
to domestic duties and child-rearing.
Adopted Family
This type of family shares legal bonds but
not genetic ones. Two parents may adopt
a child to whom they share no blood
relationship, or one parent may adopt the
child of the other parent.
It can also be defined in an emotional or
spiritual sense where no formal legal
bonds are present.
Foster Family
A foster family includes one or more
adult parent who serves as a
temporary guardian for one or more
children to whom they may or may
not be biologically related.
Childless Family

This type of family includes a couple

with no children. Couples may
choose not to have children or may
be prevented from having children
biologically due to medical reasons.
Some childless families might include
pets viewed as family members.
Marriage
As a legally recognized social
contract between two people,
traditionally based on a sexual
relationship and implying a
permanence of the union.
The main types of marriages are:
Polygyny is a form of marriage in
which one man married more than
one woman at a given time. It was
a common practice in ancient
civilizations. At present it may be
present in primitive tribes like Crow
Indians, Baigas and Gonds of India.
Polyandry is the marriage of one
woman with several men. It is
practiced among the Marquesan
Islanders of Polynesia, The Bahama of
Africa and tribes of Samoa. In India
among tribes of Tiyan, Toda, Kota,
Khasa and Ladakhi Bota it is still
prevalent. Polyandry is of two.
Monogamy
 Is a form of marriage in which one man marries the
woman. It is most common form of the marriage
found among in the societies around the world.
 It promotes love and affection between husband
and wife. It contributes to family peace, solidarity
and happiness.
 Monogamous marriage is stable and long lasting. It
is free from conflicts that are commonly found in
polyandrous and polygamous families.
Group marriage means the
marriage of two or more
women with two or more
men. Children are regarded
as the children of the entire
group as a whole.
Romantic Love and Mate Selection
Emerging Issues on Families
Domestic Violence

Refers to the abuse by one

person of another in an
intimate relationship.
Divorce

Is a court order saying that a

man and woman are no
longer a husband and a wife.
Financial Problem

Is a situation in which you are

not able to meet your bills on
time or afford necessary basic
needs.